Never Say Never
by Arianna Cross
Summary: She's desperate. He's not. But he's come to make it as a form of amusement, distracting him of endless days where blood is the only thing he sees. Nosebleeds notwithstanding [SasukexHinata].


_If I was the rain, I would wash away your tears and wash away your sins. Tomorrow, after all, is another day._

o0o0o0o

Even before sunlight could peek across the horizon, she was already standing there, hand raised against the door looking very much like a drowned rat who had seen and faced the apocalypse and barely survived.

She bit her lips, anxiety and doubt troubling her mind as she tentatively knocked on the door. The sound very much likened to a death knell.

Or something.

She does not want to be a burden to anyone, least of all to the people who actually cared beyond that of her name and status in this village. So she stands here on his doorstep because she is desperate – she wants to grab onto something familiar and while he is a complete stranger to her, he is still familiar.

At the very least, he is close to _him_.

But she pushed that thought away because while she has always entertained herself thoughts of him and her and happily ever after, the fantasy dream was a fading one. Always, she's yearned for more but practicality was a reality she wholly understands and she yields her fantasies and spins what she has and forces herself to make the best of it.

Hinata stared at the door, clenching and unclenching her fist.

She will make the best of it.

Last night's rain pelted heavily and it was quite an interesting sight to see the lack of busybodies meddling the streets and corners of Konoha. She doesn't bother bringing a raincoat or an umbrella because she loves the feel of rain.

Soothing and cleansing and it provided her an affirmation of who she was and what she should become.

Moments like last night, she doesn't concern herself about hiding herself or the modesty she is usually stubborn about. Hinata unleashed all her frustrations on the training ground where all her happiest memories began. Her coat and her sandals stranded on the log where she usually sat, soaking in all the rain – her sorrows – and everything in between.

_Her first team. Her first friends. Kurenai-sensei. Her first crush._

She danced her death and saw a semblance of power she holds, a steady stream of chakra, and as she turned and swerved and flicked her hands in sharp movements, for a moment, she felt invisible.

Hinata blinked as the door opened and a pale-faced man came into view with a blank expression.

And a slightly questioning look if she read him right.

Hinata bows respectfully and smiled weakly, "G-Good morning, Uchiha-san, may I please come in?"

"What happened to you?"

Hinata grimaced and steeled herself for a lie.

"Ano, last night and I got wet and I…I…" she trailed off, mentally bonking herself for not being able to make a complete lie without stuttering off to silence.

Sasuke peered at her intently but his expression remained unchanged.

"Aa." He opened the door slightly and inclined for her to enter. Hinata gripped the edges of her jacket; head bowed while her parts of her hair that was still wet clung to her face.

If he was annoyed at the fact that she entered his place dripping wet or that she sat at his couch without a thought, he didn't show it. He simply disappeared down the corridor and reappeared as quickly holding a towel out for her.

"T-thank you." She grabbed the towel gratefully and wiped her face with it. Sasuke had disappeared again but just as quickly, he reappeared, holding a tray of a teapot and two cups.

"Tea?" His voice low and empty but somehow, it placated a friendly tone. A tone that she was not used to hearing.

Then again, she wasn't used to seeing Sasuke being hospitable to anyone at all.

Hinata had the sudden urge to cry.

"Y-yes please."

When he demurely (and such a thought made Hinata look at Sasuke strangely) held out her tea-filled cup, she bows again and whispered a thank you that was loud enough for him to hear.

Hinata flagged herself a weary sigh and thought if it was truly a good idea about the things she has decided.

_Ican'tbelieveI'mabouttodothis._

He sat across her; his own cup already filled and looked at the window in tangent with their position, it gave her a chance to observed Uchiha Sasuke.

There were whispers and rumours and gossips of things Hinata usually didn't listen to but last night, as she recalled certain statements about Uchiha Sasuke a couple of week ago, she clung to the memory like an obsession and mentally chanted to herself of courage and determination and thoughts of future consequences.

_I – I seriously really can't believe I'm about to do this._

"How – how," she began, unsure of how to start and where to start as her frantic heart hammered against her chest loudly, she cleared her throat and began again. "How are you Uchiha-san?"

Red eyes gazed at her and the corners of his mouth quirked slightly. If she didn't know any better, she thought amusement glittered in his eyes.

"Fine. You?"

Hinata gulped, "F-fine." She winced because Sasuke delicately raised an eyebrow and made a pointed statement by letting his eyes wander down to her wet clinging _dirty_ clothes that noticeably showcase far more curves than she ever thought she would show.

She hastily sipped her tea trying so desperately to settle her nerves and the blush creeping up her skin.

"A-no…" She trailed off and looked down at her teacup, her fingers tapping the porcelain softly. Hinata looked up again and Sasuke was looking at her – never taking his eyes off her.

_This man…is far too patient._

"Ano…" Hinata held her gaze but the blush…

She couldn't stop the blush from appearing.

"I heard…things…"

"Things." Sasuke echoed staring at her like she's grown another head. She really wished that that was the case.

Hinata took a deep breath. "A-about you…a-and things…"

Sasuke blinked.

"I-I heard things about y-you…" Hinata stammered, she looked away and then quickly returned to his gaze.

She watched slowly as Sasuke slowly lifted his cup to his lips, his eyes never gazing away from her.

Hinata scrunched her eyes shut and took another deep breath.

"Iheardyou'relookingforawifesopleaseletmebeyourwife!"

Hinata gasped but made no motion for a few moments, she heard sounds but couldn't distinguish it. But slowly - ever so slowly - opened one eye and followed it with another. She placed her cup down and grabbed the towel that sat on her lap and wiped off the tea that was splattered on her face and thought the end result wasn't so bad.

Seeing Sasuke sputtered and wet from his spilled tea.

She has the urge to laugh.

* * *

Ideas. Too much ideas. I have so much they all refused to leave me alone. Nonetheless, maybe we should prioritize and pick which one I should write of the three Sasuke/Hinata stories I've ditched out?  
Things aren't as easy as they look, I'm about to make Hinata and Sasuke suffer like there's no tomorrow. In various humiliating ways. Heh. 


End file.
